Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

This year, your favorite regional theme park is introducing a brand new addition to its already thrilling line-up. It’s true, Dollywood in Pigeon Forge is adding a ride to be launched (just as its riders will feel like they are) in late spring, and it will definitely amaze not only all who choose to ride it, but also every single person who even gets the chance to look at it. This $17.3 million coaster is called the Mystery Mine, and they have been working on it for long enough to say that when it is finished you won’t want to miss it. It’s by no means a cheap project, but when you see it, you will understand why.

When describing this ride, it’s easier to list the number of straight-aways than it is to list the curves. The Dollywood park officials expressed how they have been working for the past several years to come up with something new that would really excite people and provide a new stimulating source of entertainment. Their solution was a ride that can have 56 people on the track at one time divided into 7 cars with 2 rows of 4 people. Each car will travel for two and a half minutes, and they will each explore six superstition themed mine scenes along the journey. But before the ride even begins, in an effort to alleviate any doubts in the quality, the designers added impeccable details to the waiting areas, including rusted flickering lanterns, dripping water, distressed wooden planks (that were made on site), and several other surprises.

It’s a ride unlike any the Pigeon Forge area has ever seen before, and it is going to open on Friday, April 13 th. Make sure to mark that date on your calendar so that you can be in town for this momentous occasion.

Posted by at 05:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thank you to all you Southern Living Magazine subscribers out there who gave recognition to our area as being your favorite Mountain Destination in 2006. In the annual end of the year “Readers’ Choice Award” poll, because of your efforts, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg took first place! In addition to that, Pigeon Forge was second only to Atlanta in the category of favorite place to shop.

These results were listed in the January issue of the magazine. The people at Southern Living wanted to know what their readers’ favorite places to visit in the south were; and apparently people were very anxious to respond. The magazine reports that thousands sent in their replies in order to express their appreciation of the fun and enjoyment they experienced in the various places they visited in 2006.

Here are the results, in order of most votes received, for categories where you chose Pigeon Forge:

Mountain Destination

• GATLINBURG / PIGEON FORGE, TENNESSEE
• ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
• BLOWING ROCK, NORTH CAROLINA

Shopping

• ATLANTA, GEORGIA
• PIGEON FORGE, TENNESSEE
• CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

So, thank you again for giving us your votes. We are pleased to see that you love coming to Pigeon Forge as much as we truly enjoy having you. To read more about this in the local news, click here. Or you can visit the Southern Living website to view all the results of the poll.

Posted by at 04:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It’s storytelling time in Tennessee. Pigeon Forge and its surrounding region have been known for their great tales and yarns for decades. That’s why, to honor that reputation, Pigeon Forge is celebrating with the 16 th Annual 2007 Storytelling Festival. It will be held in the Country Tonite Theater and the new WonderWorks Theater during the weekend of February 1st-3rd. So, for the entire weekend, all you have to do is come and hear your fill of tales, including classic folklore, haunting ghost stories and wild western adventures!

This year’s line up includes Donald Davis, John McCutcheon, Chris Isaacs, Connie Regan-Blake, Barbara Freeman, Sherry Norfolk, Bobby Norfolk, Elizabeth Rose, Kent Rollins, and Jeremy Evans (former NYSS Grand Torchbearer). You'll even have the opportunity to hear tales of Haints 'n' Haunts at the historic Old Mill, established in 1830. These storytellers were carefully selected and chosen to produce the most entertaining, most exquisite storytelling festival yet. This means that if you have ever been to this event before, you know this year is going to be great!

Listeners can also enjoy selections from the National Youth Storytelling Showcase and partake in crowning the next Grand Torchbearer of young storytellers. For those interested in learning a bit of the story telling trade themselves, workshops are held throughout the weekend. For the complete workshop schedule, visit the Pigeon Forge official Storytelling Festival page by clicking here.

If you get tired of the atmosphere inside the theaters, you can board the Haunts ‘n’ Haints Trolley for a spooky trolley ride after dark with a frightening ghost tale!

Weekend passes for theater activities are $25 for ages 18 and older. Day passes are $10, and anyone 17 or younger can enjoy free Storytelling Festival admission. Tickets are available at 1-800-792-4308. Tickets for Haunts 'n' Haints Trolley Tales cost $5 for all ages and are available by calling 1-865-429-7350 and requesting the Haunts 'n' Haints Trolley ride.

Posted by at 04:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Laughing is most certainly contagious. All the proof you need is plain for all to see in a video taken at the Comedy Barn in Pigeon Forge. During an act by Eric Lambert, a regular to the Comedy Barn, a gentleman by the name of Doug Collins is called up on stage along with two other audience members. As Lambert starts his routine and asks the first man a few simple questions, the man’s responses stir up the audience enough to draw out some hearty laughter, and the act is rolling. It’s going smooth, but the real entertainment doesn’t begin until Collins’ laughter is heard. For the rest of the act, Collins provided pretty much all the entertainment. Read on for the rest of the story and a link to the video.

Collins, a West Tennessean, is the epitome of a jolly ole’ man. His laugh is definitely nothing like I’ve ever heard before, and as you can see in the video, neither had Lambert. “Nyuk nyuk nyuk” is how one reporter from the Memphis Commercial Appeal described Collins' chuckle. The act stops and a microphone is set in front of Collins so that anyone lucky enough to be in Pigeon Forge that weekend enjoying a night at the Comedy Barn can sit back and be entertained by one man’s laughter. For over five minutes, he laughs and giggles, nearly making host Lambert fall over several times.

It turns out that Collins has been coming to the Comedy Barn for years with his family and his laugh has gotten him on stage many times. To fully appreciate this story, it’s best if you just watch the video for yourself. It can be viewed online at www.youtube.com by searching for “Dad at Comedy Barn” or watch the video by clicking here. You can also read the full article in the Memphis Commercial Appeal by clicking here. This laugh-out loud comedy at just one of the many theaters in Pigeon Forge has been talked about nationally, and even internationally, and it shows that there is still clean wholesome entertainment that is fit for the entire family. Happy Laughing!

Posted by at 04:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Winterfest orchestrators have added a new event to Wilderness Wildlife Week, to highlight the region's rustic mountain music. David Holt, a Grammy award-winner, will host AppalachiaFest with Doc Watson making a special appearance! AppalachiaFest is the place to enjoy the traditional mountain music of the Smokies.

Who: AppalachiaFest features some of the regions best mountain musicians!

Doc Watson and David Holt
Jack Pearson and William Howse
Phil and Gaye Johnson
Carolina Bluegrass Boys

What: A musical infusion of Smoky Mountain culture. Listen, laugh, and let the musicians take you back in time with traditional music.

Where: The Country Tonight Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

When: AppalachiaFest begins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 16th.

Additional Details: Tickets cost $15 for adults, and ages 17 and under cost only $5 at the door. You may call 1-800-792-4308 to reserve seating.

Enjoy this new Wilderness Wildlife Week attraction!

Posted by at 03:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The first large snow of the winter blanketed the Great Smoky Mountains near Pigeon Forge with gleaming white caps, but also forced closure of the Newfound Gap Road, halting travel across the mountains from Tennessee to North Carolina. Park officials closed the road when snow and ice became too hazardous to allow even four-wheel drive vehicles attempt the pass. The Little River Road was also closed to motorists.

Anticipated snowfall was serious enough that forecasters issued a heavy snow warning and predicted 2 to 5 inches would fall in the high elevations along the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Snow accumulated at elevations above 3,000 feet in the national park. Gatlinburg, the closest city to the national park, is only 1,600 feet above sea level, while Pigeon Forge is 1,010 feet above sea level. Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg schools were closed Tuesday as a precaution.

Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort welcomed the snow. The resort’s ski report reports a base of 14-22 inches on Ski Mountain just outside of the national park. For a live view of snow in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, visit one of the National Park Service’s live web cams. One is at Purchase Knob in North Carolina, and the other is at Look Rock near Cades Cove in Tennessee.

Do you like snow? For many of us living in the South, snow is a rare treat. In Pigeon Forge, snow that accumulates melts quickly. For many Northerners, snow is just an ordinary part of everyday life. But snow in the mountains is extraordinary and incredibly beautiful. If you’re lucky enough to be in the Pigeon Forge area when snow comes to East Tennessee, you will never forget the beauty of a genuine winter wonderland.

Posted by at 05:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Pigeon Forge Winterfest event celebrating the cultural heritage and natural beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains, the 17th annual Wilderness Wildlife Week, begins this weekend on Saturday, January 13 at the Music Road Hotel and Convention Center in Pigeon Forge. The week-long event features a tremendous line-up of speakers, artists, demonstrations and hikes that provide an opportunity to better understand and appreciate the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the nation’s most visited national park.

The number of speakers and classes is just unbelievable, covering diverse interests. The best part is all events are free of charge. Are you interested in nature photography? Wilderness Wildlife Week is one event for you, with speakers like renowned nature photographer Ken Jenkins and several classes on digital photography. There’s also a photo contest accepting submissions until the 13 th. Even if you’re not a photographer, you can enjoy the entries by talented professional photographers, hobbyists, and even children.

Others of you may be more interested in the outdoor experiences and classes led by experts, like “Fly Fishing 101.” Hikes in the Smokies are offered throughout the week. Be sure to check out the PigeonForge.com Wilderness Wildlife Week calendar for a full listing of classes, and remember to sign up for any hikes two days in advance. Hear about bears, panthers, and elk in the park from experts who work in the national park.

For the kids, the Knoxville Zoo will bring their popular exotic bird show stars to Wilderness Wildlife Week. Also appearing is Jungle John and Alligator Aaron's Silly Safari Live Animal Show.

Wilderness wildlife week isn’t just about the great outdoors. It’s also about the cultural heritage and history of the Smokies. Find out about the Civil War in East Tennessee, hear Smokies music and folklore, and learn about the herbs and medicines of the old timers. You can even learn how to make your own home into a wildlife sanctuary. It’s all at the Pigeon Forge Winterfest 17 th annual Wilderness Wildlife Week. Make plans now to attend this unique event you can’t miss.

Posted by at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

A Pigeon Forge restaurant was lost to a fire on Sunday morning. Firefighters arrived at the All-American Pancake House at the corner of the Parkway and Wears Valley Road around 6:30 in the morning to find that the building was 60% engulfed by flames. An emergency call alerted authorities of the blaze at 6:20; at 6:45, the building “blew up in flames,” in the words of one witness. The pancake house was over 20 years old and constructed primarily of wood, according to fire investigators, who said the blaze originated in the kitchen area. These factors made the fire more intense, but no one was injured in the blaze.

The restaurant on the Parkway likely served thousands of visitors to Pigeon Forge through the years. Visitors driving down the Parkway on their way to Pigeon Forge attractions will notice the vacant spot the building once occupied. Pigeon Forge is always growing, but there is a sense of sadness when a long-standing business closes or, in this case, is lost to fire. Some vacationers make a family tradition of eating at a particular establishment, and the All American Pancake house was no exception. Despite the loss, it is always interesting to see what intrepid plan a businessperson comes up with to rebuild and come back with something new and refreshing to see on the Parkway. Time will tell what change will be seen at the corner of Wears Valley road and the Parkway in Pigeon Forge.

Posted by at 02:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

To all of our friends and Smoky Mountain visitors, the staff at www.PigeonForge.com would like to wish all of you a healthy, happy and prosperous 2007. Cheers!

Posted by Jessisa Bookstaff at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)